President Donald Trump has revealed the formation of a federal “Super Intelligence Force,” announcing a new era of coordinated artificial intelligence (AI) policy led by Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton, who is being recognized as Washington’s new AI czar.
Clayton to Lead AI Coordination
Trump introduced the Super Intelligence Force on Truth Social, describing it as a central task force intended to maintain the United States’ technological leadership in AI. Trump prefers to call the technology “Super Intelligence,” and has placed Jay Clayton at the forefront of this initiative.
Clayton is joined on the team by Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson, Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering Emil Michael, and Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor. The group is tasked with coordinating federal interaction with consumer groups, religious organizations, critical infrastructure providers, public interest organizations, and AI companies. The force is structured to report directly to Trump and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles.
Trump’s move follows the “Historic White House Accord on Super Intelligence,” which he described as a commitment by major technology firms to take responsibility for advancing AI in alignment with the public interest. Trump confirmed that executives from leading AI companies met with him at the White House last week to discuss these principles.
The new federal AI task force, led by Jay Clayton and key officials from several agencies, will report to President Trump and aims to strengthen US global leadership in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence.
Background: Clayton’s Crypto Regulation Legacy
Jay Clayton is a notable figure in the cryptocurrency sector due to his tenure as Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chair during Trump’s first presidential term. During his leadership, Clayton initiated the SEC’s aggressive regulatory stance on crypto markets, using enforcement actions as a principal oversight tool.
Under Clayton’s direction, the SEC filed 57 lawsuits against various crypto companies, token issuers, and blockchain firms. A defining action occurred in December 2020 when the SEC sued Ripple for $1.3 billion, accusing the company of selling XRP as an unregistered security. This lawsuit influenced the regulatory approach his successor, Gary Gensler, later pursued against prominent crypto projects and exchanges.
After his time at the SEC, Clayton shifted to advisory roles with firms such as One River Asset Management and joined the advisory board at crypto custodian Fireblocks.
In addition to his crypto regulatory work, Trump attempted in 2020 to appoint Clayton as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. By 2025, Clayton was serving as interim U.S. attorney in Manhattan, where his office led the prosecution against Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm.
SEC Moves Toward Clearer Crypto Custody Rules
The Securities and Exchange Commission recently proposed a new framework for how registered investment advisers and regulated funds can safely custody crypto assets. These proposed regulations seek to address longstanding uncertainties over compliance and are intended to chart a consistent path for institutional managers working with digital assets.
The SEC’s custody framework would end years of ambiguity, giving registered advisers and funds a more predictable structure for managing crypto assets within regulatory guidelines.
SEC officials are working to clarify how professional money managers decide on secure storage of crypto assets, ensuring that client funds remain protected while supporting innovation within the sector.
For investors navigating volatile markets, the growing complexity of regulatory measures and sudden industry changes have made real-time monitoring more critical than ever. In a market where a single Fed decision or a sudden altcoin listing can change everything in seconds, jumping between different apps for charts, news, and portfolio tracking is costing investors money. Smart traders are now utilizing privacy-first tools like CryptoAppsy to consolidate everything. Without even the hassle of creating an account, users can access real-time charts, smart price alerts, coin-specific news, and essential macro data within a single dashboard.
The full mandate and timeline for the Super Intelligence Force remain unspecified, and further details on the group’s specific activities are expected in the coming months.
